"What she feels."

Part 2 of the 5 part mini-series "There for you."

Part 3 of 20 of the ongoing saga "Love is such bitter sorrow."

If you have not yet read "All she has left to live for", or "What she wants", the first and second parts of "Love is such bitter sorrow", go read them now. Unlike parts 1, 7 & 17, this cannot be read as a standalone, at least, not without missing out on necessary backstory.

With her snuggled firmly against his side and in his arms, Ash and Misty, together with Pikachu, who was sitting on Ash's other shoulder, walked down the long corridor of the apartment building towards the current address of an old friend. It had been so long since they had last seen each him. They both couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him in the last few years. The last time they had seen each other was......well......a time that conjured up many painful memories. Togepi's funeral. Almost 3 years ago.
"Well, here's the place. Hope that he's home." Ash said as they reached the apartment they were looking for.
"Me too. The hotels around here certainly leave a lot to be desired." Pikachu nods sagely. "Pika."
A mischievous grin creeps onto Misty's face.
"Still,........ they do have SOME advantages, don't they Ashy boy."
And with that, she pinches his butt. Not too lightly either I might add. In any case, her pinching his butt startles Ash, causing him to jump, and sending Pikachu tumbling to the ground.
"Pika! Pikapika chu!!"
"Oh, I'm sorry Pikachu. Here, why don't you come over here and I'll carry you?" Misty offered.
Pikachu glared at her, before racing back up to Ash's shoulder. "One of these days, I'm going to start shocking them again." he thought to himself. It made sure though that it gripped Ash's shoulder tighter this time. Perhaps a bit more tightly than he needed to.
"Ow! Pikachu!
"Pikapi pika."
"Grr." Ash turned back to Misty. "Yeah, I guess they do. Still, wouldn't you rather sleep on a nice soft bed than those horrible ones we were forced to sleep on last night?"
Pikachu rolled its eyes. He'd gotten used to being ignored occasionally. These days, Ash's mind wasn't always on Pokémon training. Instead, it was always on Misty.
"Well, yeah, but who was doing any sleeping last night?"
Ash's cry of "MISTY!" reverberates throughout the hallway. Misty just giggles. Pikachu just shakes its head and lets out a small "pika.". He loved the fact that they had finally got together, but their antics sometimes really got on his nerves.
"You're so easy to tease."
"Excuse me?"
Ash and Misty both let out simultaneous cries of "Waa!" at the unexpected interruption. The door of the apartment was now open, with a young lady standing there.
"Can I help you?"
Ash stutters out a reply. "Oh, um, sorry miss. We must have got the wrong apartment or something. I could have sworn this was the third flo.."
Either that or Brock's fortunes have seriously changed Ash thinks to himself. The girls sudden loud cry of "Ash?!?" however, interrupts him from making further excuse. Taking a closer look, Ash & Misty suddenly burst out with an equally loud "DUPLICA?!?", and Pikachu with his own "PIKA?!?"
Both of the two groups stood still for a moment and Ash & Misty took this time to get a better look at her, as she no doubt did with them. It was obvious now that this lady was indeed their old friend Duplica. Just as they remembered her. Well, there were some differences. She was older for a start, and she was wearing her hair longer, and, oh yes, she was wearing a nightgown. A loose one at that. One that didn't leave much too the imagination. Ash would be having a nosebleed by now if he hadn't already seen Misty in more revealing situations. Duplica's Ditto was still there as well, blobbing around near her feet. Suddenly, a familiar voice call out in the background.
"Who is it love?"
You've GOT to be kidding Ash, Misty and Pikachu all thought simultaneously. It couldn't possibly be..... Not with..... Surely she had more taste than....
A guy walks to the door from inside the apartment, talking to Duplica.
"What's wrong honey? Who is i........... ASH?!
MISTY!?! PIKACHU!?! What're you doing here!?!"
Ash, Misty and Pikachu all, quite understandably, took this perfect opportunity, to faint. The idea of Brock actually GETTING the girl for once (And from the look of things getting her between the sheets as well.) was far too much for their minds to handle. Duplica let out a loud sigh.
"Brock, why does this happen EVERYTIME someone who knows you sees us together?"
Brock blushes and gets a guilty look on his face.
"Ah, um, ah, I couldn't imagine why darling !"
Duplica simply shakes her head and rolls her eyes. Ditto, not really having a head to shake, just rolls its eyes.
"Yeah, I'm sure you can't."
"Ditto!"
"Heh heh heh."
"Well what's up with those two anyway? You never told me they were an item."
"They aren't, or at least, they weren't when I last saw them. I guess they finally admitted their feelings for each other."
Duplica gets an amorous look and a mischievous smile on her face.
"Like us."
General scenes of a lovey-dovey nature between Brock & Duplica follow, as Ditto, who is getting thoroughly sick of being ignored by its trainer, goes over to the kitchen to grab a bite, knowing that Brock and Duplica will be quite awhile. I'll spare you all the horror of Brock actually having a romance. One wonders what he must have done to get the girl, before quickly deciding that one may be better off not knowing. We skip to later that night, after Brock & Duplica have remembered that they have guests, and have used smelling salts (Which, due to this happening so often, they have an abundance of.) to wake Ash, Misty and Pikachu up.

"Hey Ash? You okay dude?"
"Ugh. Yeah, I think so. I just had this weird dream. I thought that you and Dup....."
Ash sees Duplica, and promptly faints again.
"Dang. That's the third time he's fainted." Brock observes.
Duplica shrugs and says "I guess the shock was simply too much for him."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"
"Oh come on Brock." says Misty. "We all know how you used to be."
Pikachu nods its head. "Pika."
"She's right Brock. I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't know it first hand."
Brock just glares at her. "Grrrr."
Duplica ignores him. "Why don't we just let Ash sleep off the shock?" she suggests.
Misty doesn't seem too keen on the idea. "Well......"
"It's not as if the smelling salts are working anyway."
Misty lets out a sigh. "I guess you're right."
"Come on, we can all talk about what's happened since we last saw each other while we're waiting for Ash to wake up.
"Yeah. I'd like to know how you and Ash got together."
"Well, you see.........

The night is passed by them all reminiscing and discussing what had happened to them since they had all last met. Even by the time they were tired enough to stop and go to bed, Ash had not yet woken up, so they all helped and dragged him to the guest bedroom.

The next morning.......
Ash yawned and stretched out. Boy, THAT was a weird dream. As he opens his eyes and wipes the sleep out of them, he sees an already dressed Misty standing above him.
"Ugh. Morning Mist. I just had the strangest dream."
"It wasn't a dream Ash. Brock really did get together with Duplica."
Ash's eyes glaze over and he starts to fall back onto the lounge.
"Oh no you don't! You aren't fainting on me again."
Misty slaps Ash once in the face and gets no response. Seeing that that tactic won't work, she hits him once more, this time in the place where the sun doesn't shine. Hard. Now THAT woke him up. In the kitchen, the sound of the slap and Ash's subsequent scream starts making Brock reminisce about all the times he was rejected. Back in the lounge room, Ash has come to his senses. Well, almost.
"OWWWW!!!! WHAT?!? You're kidding, right? Brock couldn't have..."
"Could have and more it seems."
"More? What do you mean more?"
Misty raises her eyebrows. A look of understanding washes over Ash's face.
"OH. THAT more. Okayyyyyyy. Um, are you SURE it wasn't a dream. If fact, are you sure you're alright? I mean, Brock & DUPLICA? If they did get together, where've they gone?"
"Yes Ash. I'm certain. Brock & Duplica have gotten together. As for where they are, look behind you."
He follows her instructions, and looks over his shoulder to see Brock & Duplica walking closer, arm in arm.
"I know it might be a bit hard to believe Ash, but it's the truth." explained Duplica.
"You two could have waited outside until I was finished explaining everything to Ash to know."
Duplica shrugs. "Well it's not like we've done any harm. See, he hasn't fainted yet."
"What I'd like to know is WHY is it so hard to believe that I might get the girl?!?"
Misty giggles. "I think you just answered your own question there Brock."
"HEY!"

The day passed with no real incident. Brock, Duplica and Ditto showed Ash, Misty and Pikachu around Pewter, showing them the changes since they were last there. It started raining halfway through the day though, so they had to return to Brock & Duplica's apartment before they had planned, before they had the chance to go most of the places they had wanted to.

And so, with nothing else to do for the day, the two couples exchanged pleasantries and their Pokémon, talking about what had happened since they had last seen each other and so forth, all steering well clear of one certain topic until a time much later that night, after Brock & Duplica had the chance to get a bit tipsy off what little wine they had. (And I mean HAD. They finished all the bottled.) Alright, maybe Brock was more than just a little tipsy. Ash & Misty have both become more than a little uneasy of them, as they start to become more and more effected by the drink. Both of them wonder if this is how Brock managed to get Duplica between the sheets in the first place.

"Well, *hic*, oh, 'scuse me. What I really want to know, is how you two *hic* got together ! I mean, what happened? Did he ask you out, or was 'id you who fff..fess up to him Misty?"
(Hmmm, not quite the topic you were expecting, was it? ;) )
Duplica's voice is rather slurred from being so Tipsy.
"Ah, something like that."
"Ah. I fhought so. So what'dya two do?"
"Um, well..." stammers Misty in reply.
Brock interrupts before Misty can finish. "Hey, wait a second.
Somethinks not light here. Exactly WHEN did you two start going out? You weren't doin' anythan behind my back while we we're stil in Johto, were you?"
"Of course we weren't." denies Ash.
"Than when could you two possibly get together? I mean, I don't know what's happened to you two since tog, tego, toge, ah geez, ya know, thhat egg thing, went weeeeeeeeeeeee plop." Brock makes suitable hand gestures to go with his sound effects. Misty face contorts into an unreadable look, while Ash's boils up in anger.
(Now THAT's more like the topic you were expecting, wasn't it. Geez, Brock can be an arsehole sometimes, can't he? ;) )
"Brock!" yells Ash, as Misty runs out of the room with tears streaming down her face.
"Woahhhh. Wa'hs 'ith 'er?" comes back the slurred reply.
"Now look what you've gone and done Brock. You've gone and made Misty cry. And people call me an insensitive jerk."
Ash storms out of the room towards where Misty fled to. In the dining room, Brock & Duplica could hear Ash comforting Misty. Or at least they would be able to hear them if they weren't engrossed in other alcohol induced activities. I don't think I need to explain to most of you on what those are. Let's just say you'll find a full description in part 20.
(Tentatively titled "Lemon Tree very pretty and the Lemon flower is sweet. But the fruit of the poor lemon tree is impossible to eat." BTW. I think you all understand now. (And yes, for you people who know where that line comes from, that IS a hint of what is to come. HEH HEH HEH.))

The next morning.....
Ash & Misty are standing at the front door with their bags, facing Brock & Duplica. Pikachu is on Ash's shoulder, while Ditto lounges at Duplica's feet.
"We're leaving." announces Ash.
"So soon?" Duplica asks. "But you only just arrived two days ago. We haven't had the chance to show you around Pewter properly yet. You haven't seen Brock's brothers and sisters. You..."
Ash shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but after last night, I think it might be better if we just left."
Brock nods. "Yeah, I can guess how you probably felt."
Ash glares at him. "You have no idea."
And with that, Ash & Misty walked down the hall with her in his arms and leaning into his shoulder. Neither of them spoke until they had entered the elevator to go down to the lobby and the doors had shut, despite the calls from Brock & Duplica.

Duplica turns to Brock. "Do you have any idea what happened last night?"
"Only the obvious. We got ourselves drunk again."
"Well, yeah, but there must have something else that we did. I mean, they looked really upset."
"Don't ask me to think right now, alright? I've got the mother of all hangovers."
"Same here. I guess we'd better phone them later and apologise."

"I can't believe Brock & Duplica would do something like that, let along Brock say something like that. You would have thought he would have realised how sensitive you are about that, even if he was drunk. It's not the kind of thing you forget."
Misty just stands silently in her corner of the elevator.
"Mist? You okay Mist?"
"I..I'll be okay. It's just that, what he said brought up some....some painful memories."
Neither of them spoke again as they began the long drive home.